Howard Lake-Waverly Herald, Feb. 12, 2001

Wright board trying to get gravel tax

If at first you don't succeed, try something else. That's
become the motto of the Wright County Board, as it attempts to deal with
the state in getting a gravel tax implemented for the county.

At the board's Feb. 6 meeting, the county again tried to
tackle the issue, but this time with a two-pronged attack.

When it comes to gravel resources, taxes are paid one of
two ways when the resources crosses county lines - by the county where the
gravel is mined or the county where the gravel is brought.

"It's really pretty ridiculous," Commissioner
Ken Jude said "Hennepin County has collected hundreds of thousands
of dollars in taxes on gravel taken out of Wright County simply because
we don't have a gravel tax."

The county brought forward two proposals. A first would
ask for a production tax be placed on exported gravel - a plan that was
quickly shot down at last year's session. The other would simply be to add
Wright County to a list of 28 counties that already charge a gravel tax.

"The second option is the most likely, but we're going
to submit both proposals to committee hoping that, if the first one fails
again, we can get the second one done," County Coordinator Dick Norman
said. "With the money at stake, we're looking to do whatever we can
to keep the levy down and the dollars generated here are pretty substantial."

Bordering Sherburne County, for example, took in more than
$200,000 in gravel tax revenue, Jude said, and Wright County exports more
gravel that it does. The county had a chance to ne part of the gravel tax
program back in 1984, but then-Auditor-Treasurer Ozzie Arlien convinced
the board the program was too much of a paper work nightmare compared to
what it would bring in as revenue. At that time, it may have been true,
but potentially have a quarter-million-dollar revenue stream is not small
time any more.

"We hope that we can get this through the Legislature
this time," Norman said. "With the money that is at stake, we
can't afford to lose it for another year."

The board authorized Jude to attend the legislative committee
meeting scheduled for Feb. 7 at the State Capitol to argue the county's
case. Earlier in the session, a similar request from Kanabec County got
approval at the committee level.